Samsung's C32HG70, FreeSync + HDR = FreeSync 2

There is a lot to parse in Guru 3D's review of the Samsung C32HG70 a 32", 1440p, 144Hz curved VA panel as they delve into details about HDR and FreeSync as well as discussing the merits of 4k versus 2560x1440 or 3440x1440. If you are already familiar with those topics you can jump into the meat of their review of this impressive panel. The display offers great SDR performance but truly shines when you enable HDR and install the latest firmware updates, after which you can test your experience in Ultimate FreeSync which offers a dynamic range of 48-144Hz or in Standard which limits the range to 120-144Hz to prevent tearing which might occur in some setups. There is a lot to go through in this review, so you might as well get started.

"This Quantum Dot 2560x1440 monitor can do 144Hz combined with FreeSync and FreeSync2. That eliminates stutter and tearing while gaming in HDR. The Samsung C32HG70 is fitted with a VA panel offering proper image quality, connectivity, and features."

It is possible for a monitor to support DP Adaptive Sync (Freesync) and to 'support' HDR (which can vary from being DisplayHDR 1000 compliant to being SDR but accepting HDR input), but not be Fresync 2 compliant. Freesync 2 means AMD has to certify it (like G-Sync, and unlike vanilla Freesync) and it requires games implement AMD's proprietary Freesync 2 API in order to get HDR output while using adaptive sync.

In this situation the monitor is indeed Freesync 2, but this CANNOT be assumed just because a monitor says both "HDR" and "Freesync" on the box.

To make this even more confusing, Dell even has a monitor that doesn't meet the HDR requirements but get away with it because they said it is "Dell HDR" (not "HDR") so they could define their own HDR spec.

That should be flat-out illegal. Bad enough there are many Freesync monitors of questionable usability as well as other "HDR" monitors that don't seem to meet the requirements such as brightness.

GSync is (AFAIK) a bit easier to work with for HDR and does a better job of OVERDRIVE (overdrive means temporarily raising the voltage high so that the pixel changes color more quickly... but with VARIABLE refresh that can be a problem. GSync can adjust this on-the-fly which reduces the amount of blur/ghosting).

Anyway, with Freesync 2/HDR requiring certification and thus more work by the monitor manufacturer, AND with the GSync module inevitably dropping in price to make I expect the price gap to close.

Heck, since the GSync Module effectively replaces the scaler, and with NVidia already doing some of the work, in theory it may even end up CHEAPER in the near future to make a monitor with GSync instead of Freesync (that are similar, good quality HDR monitors).

*My main issue right now is compatibility with AMD. Not just if I decide to buy an AMD gaming card later, but also support for gaming consoles as I plan to buy a PS5 to use with my next PC monitor. The XB1 X already has support and it appears certain the other XBox One and PS4's are going to add it (and future consoles will too).

Yep, HDR with 8 edge lit dimming zone could just give a result, it will suck.
Most of the cost of this G-Sync panel comes from the direct 384 dimming zones, which are really bright and must dim at very high speed, the cost of the module is marginal even if still based on a not exactly cheap FPGA